The final segment of the road to Hershey begins today.
Four area girls' teams will be aiming to extend their seasons in the PIAA Basketball Tournament's first round this weekend.
In Class AA, Minersville (25-1) has led the area in just about every team statistic, and the Battlin' Miners' individual numbers aren't bad, either.
Minersville still possesses the area's best point differential, scoring an average of 59.5 points a game while allowing just 32.6.
From the line, the Miners are also near the top of the charts, shooting .652.
As impressive as those numbers are, the individual numbers pack even more of a punch:
- Senior guard Reighly Melochick averages 19.7 points a game and leads the area in 3-pointers with 64.
- Freshman guard Abby Schoffstall averages 11 assists and six steals to go along with her 10.4 points per game.
- Freshman forward Emily Mealey has crept higher and higher on the scoring list, now averaging 13.3 points a game and 14.8 rebounds.
The Miners have good news going into tonight's PIAA opener against District 4 runner-up Central Columbia (15-10). Senior guard Alyse Ryan, who suffered a lower body injury during the District 11 championship, will be back to head up the defense, according to Minersville head coach Jared Homa.
Central Columbia's biggest threat, however, is in the paint with junior center Lindsey Carl, who averages more than 16 points a game.
But Mealey and fellow forward Leah Leshko should be prepared for that task after effectively shutting down Salisbury's Meagan Eripret, a 6-3 center, in the district final.
You won't find any individual stars on the District 11 Class A champion Marian Fillies' roster, a recipe that has brought them great success this season.
Between Savanna Krusinsky and Abbey Whildin taking turns dominating the paint and the team's 3-point-slinging guards, the Fillies (24-2) could be one of the more balanced offensive teams in the Class A playoffs. The Fillies are led by their oppressive defense that only gives up 29.5 points a game.
Marian plays District 4 runner-up Northeast Bradford (20-5) in the Class A first round at 6 p.m. Saturday at Martz Hall, where the Fillies are 4-1 this postseason - their only loss coming against Minersville in the Schuylkill League title game.
Krusinsky (9.8 points a game) and Whildin (8.0 points) are Marian's top scorers. Guards Gabby Green, Lindsay Nemeth, Vanessa Whitecavage and Ashley Fannick have combined for an astonishing 82 3-pointers this season.
Three-pointers have also been a specialty of Shenandoah Valley junior forward Abigail Snitzer, whose 53 buckets from beyond the arc this season are second only to Melochick.
Combining Snitzer with junior guard Kristina Nieddu has worked well when the Blue Devils (15-10) are able to keep both players free, something Marian prevented them from doing in the district championship game.
While both Minersville and Marian will be playing close to home, Shenandoah Valley faces District 1 champion Phil-Mont Christian (21-4) in the Class A first round at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School.
Surviving to the final four teams of the District 3 Class A playoffs, Upper Dauphin squeezed into the PIAA Class A bracket as well.
The young Trojans (13-12) play District 4 powerhouse Millville (24-0) in the first round at 6 p.m. Saturday at Danville High School.
While Upper Dauphin has leaned on the offensive production of junior guard Taylor Brown (12.3 points a game and 21 3-pointers), Millville dominated District 4 behind senior center Madi Bower, who comes in averaging 25.4 points. Bower scored 46 points in a quarterfinal rout of Lourdes.
Madi Bower and her sister Maci have combined for 968 points this season, which accounts for two-thirds of the team's offensive production. Freshman guard Morgan Bower, the youngest sister, also starts for the Quakers.PIAA girls' pairings
PIAA Girls' Tournament
Tonight's first-round game
At Martz Hall
CLASS AA
Minersville (11-1) vs. Central Columbia (4-2), 6 p.m.
Saturday's first-round games
CLASS A
At Martz Hall
Marian (11-1) vs. Northeast Bradford, 6 p.m.
At Plymouth-Whitemarsh H.S.
Shenandoah Valley (11-2) vs. Phil-Mont Christian (1-1), 4:30 p.m.
At Danville H.S.
Upper Dauphin (3-4) vs. Millville (4-1), 6 p.m.
- Complete brackets, Page 16
- Capsule previews, Page 18